In Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do About It, veteran educator and brain expert Eric Jensen takes an unflinching look at how poverty hurts children, families, and communities across the United States and demonstrates how schools can improve the academic achievement and life readiness of economically disadvantaged students.
Jensen argues that although chronic exposure to poverty can result in detrimental changes to the brain, the brain's very ability to adapt from experience means that poor children can also experience emotional, social, and academic success. A brain that is susceptible to adverse environmental effects is equally susceptible to the positive effects of rich, balanced learning environments and caring relationships that build students' resilience, self-esteem, and character.
Drawing from research, experience, and real school success stories, Teaching with Poverty in Mind reveals:
* What poverty is and how it affects students in school; * What drives change both at the macro level (within schools and districts) and at the micro level (inside a student's brain); * Effective strategies from those who have succeeded and ways to replicate those best practices at your own school; and * How to engage the resources necessary to make change happen.
Too often, we talk about change while maintaining a culture of excuses. We can do better. Although no magic bullet can offset the grave challenges faced daily by disadvantaged children, this timely resource shines a spotlight on what matters most, providing an inspiring and practical guide for enriching the minds and lives of all your students.
Eric Jensen has always been passionate about learning. As a child, he seemed to read every book he could find in his own home and any library nearby. There are rumors that he "over-borrowed" from local libraries and a nearby Boy's Club. To make up for that, today he donates back up to 50 books a year to others. He graduated early from high school (age 16) and averaged reading two books a week in college. He graduated with distinction with a bachelor's degree in English. Even today, Eric is still learning, completing his doctorate in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University.
As a teacher, Eric has worked with a wide range of students. He taught middle school, high school students though a private school, focusing on reading and study skills. While he began as a completely average teacher in terms of technique, he's always been know for his passion for learning. Later, he became adjunct faculty for three universities, serving as a professor for adult learners at the University of California at San Diego, National University and the University of San Diego. In 1988, Jensen was selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America.
In the workplace, Eric Jensen co-founded the world's largest brain-compatible academic enrichment program, SuperCamp, which now has over 50,000 graduates. In 1985, he founded Turning Point and which later became Jensen Learning with over 50,000 educators attending programs. These programs introduced the science of teaching and learning to teachers from around the world. Eric Jensen has introduced brain-based teaching to Denmark, UK, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, New Zealand and other countries. Jensen was the founder of the Learning Brain EXPO, the world's first conference that linked neuroscience to everyday educational practices.
Part of the leadership in the field is literary scholarship. Jensen has authored ten journal publications to his credit, twenty-six full-length books through five different publishers. Jensen has appeared on over 250 television and radio stations, both domestic and international including CNN. Articles on his work have appeared in USA Today, CNN, Wall Street Journal and major educational journals such as Education Leadership, Education Week and PDK International/ Phi Delta Kappan. His work has appeared in The South China Post and he's been interviewed on stations in Asia and his books have been translated into 15 languages including Chinese.
Jensen is currently an active member of the Society for Neuroscience, The President's Club at Salk Institute of Biological Studies, NY Academy of Science, American Psychological Association and International Mind, Brain and Education Society. Jensen is on the Advisory Board for Body, Mind and Child in Barnstead, New Hampshire. He is a partner and consultant in the Temporal Dynamics Learning Center Project at University of California at San Diego. This project involves over 50 scientists and affiliates to bring neuroscience into the classroom.
Later, with his passion for neuroscience, Jensen made over 45 visits to neuroscience laboratories to interact with countless scientists. At the world-renowned Salk Institute of Biological Studies, Jensen is a member of the select President's club, which interacts often with neuroscientists as well as supports their work financially. Jensen has become one of the leading translators in the world of neuroscience into education. Currently he is the Master Trainer and Consultant to the Association of Brain-based Learning in Education in Hong Kong. This is the first long-term brain-based program focusing on classroom pedagogy in Asia. (http://www.brainbased.net).
Jensen's best known books are Teaching with the Brain in Mind, SuperTeaching, Enriching the Brain and Teaching with Poverty in Mind. He's an incurable writer who seems obsessed with doing another book every year.
This review is from: Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It (Paperback)
Eric Jensen did it again - provided a fully-researched topic that educators need so desperately. Not only is the research relevant for our struggling schools today, but the strategies and action steps in every chapter are easy to apply. Once applied, teachers can really make a difference in a poverty-stricken student's life. So many students in poverty and their teachers have given up - whether because of cognitive lags or behavioral issues - it doesn't need to be this way. Embracing the Mind-Set of Change (Chapter 3) is my favorite chapter and one that all educators should be required to read. We educators are in the business of changing brains for the better. Poor children can experience academic, social and emotional success daily! Thank you Eric for the incredible strategies that can be incorporated easily and inexpensively in the classroom and school-wide.
In Chapter 4, Eric summarizes what high-poverty, high-achieving schools have in common. He synthesizes the most important strategies to give you the top 5 school-level factors that will make a difference. He does this same thing in Chapter 5 for the classroom. I love the SHARE Factors - brilliant!
I am an educator, trainer of educators, and a mother of school-age twins. I work with poverty-stricken schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and some rural schools in Illinois and Texas. I'm passionate about this information, and I am extremely excited to share it with teachers and students around the nation.
This book is not just for teachers who reach the low-SES students, but for all teachers who want to make a difference in their students' lives.
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This review is from: Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It (Paperback)
Brain research is somewhat new and fascinating. Eric Jenssen made it understandable for someone who has no interest nor aptitude in the sciences. As a person who grew up in poverty, I could relate to much of what he said. Because of this book, I am going to change the way I do some things in the classroom. I was running things in much too an authoritative style, but that's not surprising, considering I was brought up in an authoritative household. While the first couple of chapters are kind of depressing, because it tells of the deficits children of poverty will have, the hopeful parts come next. There are things we can do to help these kids be successful. I'm going to make a presentation to my principal about this book and I'm hoping we'll do a study on it. Too many of our staff members don't seem to know how to deal with these kids and tend to marginalize them. Times have changed and they can't continue to do this. I am going to be these children's advocate. I couldn't do that without this book. :)
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This review is from: Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It (Paperback)
I am reading this book as part of a project for the district I work in and just a few pages into it, I realized what a great book it was going to be. This author has a real handle on both students and schools that face the issue of poverty. He gives realistic and easy ways to be sure every group of children is receiving the very best education.
If you are any educator of any age student, this book is for you. Even in the most affluent schools, there are students that are facing their own isolation. Don't miss out on an amazing resource.
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